A light box for living

The owner wanted height, light and sky -- lots of sky. The decor would be crisp and minimal; the
spaces were to feel generously scaled despite a relatively modest building footprint. The design
strategy: scale up in the vertical dimension, with a double height space and an upstairs corridor
perceived as a floating "bridge."

Located on the south side of the house, the tall living room acts as a giant light box, streaming
light from sunrise to sunset into the upstairs bedrooms, library, and hallway "bridge", as well as
into the kitchen, entry and dining room below. Windows are placed high to direct the view away
from houses next door and towards the sky above. One forgets that this is a townhouse, just a
few feet away from its neighbours...

First floor spaces are designed to flow in a "U" shape from the entry to the living room, dining
and kitchen, with the staircase acting as a core and a screen. The main floor ceiling heights are
ample at 8ft. 6in. (2.6m) high; the double height space soars to a startling 18ft (5.5m). This
verticality directs the eye to the high windows, coaxing the viewer to pursue the architectural
promenade upward in order to discover what can be seen through them. The second floor contains
three bedrooms and a bathroom connected by the "bridge." It also offers a library area with
views of the rear garden as well as a direct line of sight, through a glass railing, to the
fireplace below.

Although radically different in expression, the house sits comfortably beside its neighbours
since its overall volume is scaled to match theirs, and it is placed at a similar distance from
the sidewalk. The exterior massing is conceived as a series of rectangular blocks, united by a
common roof that provides deep protective overhangs. Finished in acrylic stucco, these blocks
and overhangs create strong shadow patterns that change throughout the day like those of a sundial.
The rear yard is to be finished with hedges and fence enclosing a flat plane of lawn with a simple
rectangle of low deck, and lots of sky above.